The Course of Love
by GlamourMurderer
Summary: The course of love never did run smooth. A story of love and hate, friendship and distrust, happiness and grief. AU, canon pairs, a friendly Johnathan. A Shakespeare MI story. T for paranoia.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Enter here, the most prominent family of all the lands: the Garroways; Luke, Duke of Garroway and the head of the family; his wife Lady Jocelyn; their daughter, Miss Clarissa: a redhead with a personality as fiery as her hair. Simon of the Lewis family was adopted as a young boy, and he serves as a second son to Duke Luke and Lady Jocelyn.

The Lightwoods are just second to the Garroways in importance. Lord Robert of Lightwoods heads this family with his wife Lady Maryse at his side. The two have three children: Prince Alec, Princess Isabelle, and young Prince Maxwell.

The Morgensterns rival the Garroways in importance, but Valentine had the title of Duke stolen from under his nose, as well as his first wife. Not one to dwell on the past, he remarried to Celine of Herondale and had two sons: Prince Johnathan and Prince Jace.

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**Disclaimer: I'm not Cassandra Clare nor am I William Shakespeare. Characters belong to Cassie Clare, and the titles belong to William Shakespeare. (Each is a famous line or quote from a play he wrote.) The only thing I own is the plot.  
**


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One: What's in a Name?

^----X----^

"You know," said Isabelle of the Lightwood family, "this dress might very well look fantastic on you, Clarissa."

Clary of the Garroways blushed at the dark-blue, revealing dress her best friend now held up to her chest. The make and body were beautifully sculpted, and she was quite sure it would show off her own small curves and tight waist, but Clarissa was a modest girl. Although Isabelle was one of the most beautiful girls in all of Alicante Kingdom--and most certainly had the most fashion-sense--Clary knew she couldn't pull off anything her friend deemed 'fantastic'.

"I don't know," Clary replied thoughtfully, searching through her extensive closet for a more suitable dress. She pulled out a floor-length light green ball gown with laced cuffs. "What about this one, Izzy?"

Isabelle glanced over from her own persusal, almost aghast at what her friend had found. She snorted, very delicately in her opinion. "I don't think so."

Both girls had found themselves deep in the very bowels of Clary's dressing closet when there was a knock upon the bedroom door.

"Come in!" Clary called automatically, still frantically searching through her clothes. Neither girls saw that the guest who had entered the room was a boy with dark hair and horn-rimmed glasses.

The moment Simon of the Lewis family stepped into his friend Clary's room, he thought that a wind-storm had hit. Dresses and shoes and accessories were strewn about, covering almost the entire wooden floor. Even the bed sheets had somehow been removed from the matress, and a pillowcase hung from the knob of the nearest closet door.

He chuckled at the humor of it all, and called out for his friends.

"Clarissa? Isabelle? Are you girls in here?"

Clary froze in her shower robe. Neither she nor Izzy had found the gowns they'd wanted, so they were both unfit to be seen, especially by anyone of the male persuasion. She ran between two racks of summer dresses, searching for her friend--.

Suddenly, she ran straight into something tall and slim. She flew back, her head hitting the wall of the large room.

"Ow! Iz, that was my head!"

"Well, Clary, it was _my_ shoulder!"

Simon chuckled, "Well, I'll just come collect you girls in an hour or so. I just wanted to ask: Izzy, would you like to accompany me to the ball tonight?"

Isabelle froze. She never imagined _Simon_ would ask her to attend the ball with him. Goodness knows, she'd harbored a crush on him since their very first meeting.

She looked to Clary, still sitting on the floor and wearing an expression very similar to what Isabelle was certain she currently looked like.

Clary, seeing her friend's discomfort and astonishment, called out, "She would love to go with you, Si. Just allow us to finish getting ready, and we will meet you in the foyer in an hour."

"G-great! See you girls in an hour," Simon stammered, surprised and happy.

After exiting the bed chamber, Simon grinned widely. Even though it was Clary that had answered instead of his own fair maiden, he was positively delighted that Isabelle had agreed to allow his escort. Confusion arose as he contemplated why it had been his best friend who had answered, but he shrugged it off. He wasn't going to permit anything to ruin this happiest of nights.

Back in Clary's bedroom, the girls were having a small struggle.

"WHAT ON EARTH PERSUADED YOU TO SAY YES TO HIM?!" Izzy yelled, flailing her arms far and wide in hopes of illustrating her current level of frustration.

Clary, meanwhile, was completely confused. She was under the impression that Isabelle was interested in Simon. She told her friend this, and Izzy reacted thus:

"I've already accepted Meliorn's offer!" she cried, falling to sit on a nearby chair, placing her head in her hands.

"Meliorn? Of Thistlewreath?" Clary asked.

Izzy nodded affirmative.

"Well, that is..." Clary trailed off. She was unsure how to console her friend when Isabelle was obviously so distraught. Kneeling on a rug beside her, she began rubbing tentative circles into her back.

"I will go inform Si of my misunderstanding," said Clary. She moved to stand just as Izzy's hand shot out and grasped her forearm in a tight vice-like grip. Unnerved by her friend's distress and surprising strength, she froze.

"No! He must not know!" said Izzy as she pulled her friend back to the ground.

"Why not?" asked Clary, confusion crossing her pale, freckled face once more.

"He might never ask again! I must take this opportunity, as it might never come again," she explained.

"Well, we should tell Meliorn," said Clary reasonably.

"Oh, but I couldn't bear to see the disappointment on his face!" cried Isabelle. Her long, raven-colored hair fell forward to hide her face from the rest of the world, as if it were an impenatrable curtain of safety. Clary's eyebrows furrowed and she pulled her friend's hands into her own.

"Pray-tell, Izzy. How exactly are you going to attend tonight's ball with not one, but _two_ escorts?" the redhead asked.

Lifting her face to look into Clarissa's eyes, Isabelle of the Lightwood family sniffed, dried her eyes, then stood ram-rod straight to stroll over to the vanity mirror in the corner of the bedroom.

"I will just have to, as they say, 'wing it'," she said with a seductive smile.

Far off, in another land altogether, Jace of the Morgensterns was having a similar discussion with his half-brother, Johnathan.

"How you expect to get through this ball with more than one companion is beyond me," Jace said with a smirk.

Johnathan simply smiled at his brother's jab, "Yes, but you and I are both aware that most of what happens in this world is far above your level of comprehension. Really, it isn't that much of a surprise," he said in jest.

Jace saw through his antics immediately, and retorted, "Maybe so, _brother_, but I will not be the one caught between two or three angry women by the end of the night."

"Well, ignorance is bliss," said Johnathan, referring to his previous comment of Jace's naiveté. He paused in his current act of retying his bowtie, and turned to face the younger blonde boy, "who _are_ you taking, by the way?"

"I am attending the ball alone," said Jace with feigned nonchalance.

"You know, you could always go with Aline," said Johnathan, once again attending to his already-perfect suit.

"Of the Penhallows?" Jace snorted. "Unlikely."

"I'm sure she'd be perfectly happy to be escorted by the second son of Valentine of the Morgensterns."

"I'm certain she wouldn't object at all," Jace replied, standing to address to his cuff links, "As it stands, _I_ object."

Johnathan raised an eyebrow and turned to face his brother, "Might I ask why? Aline is attractive enough. She is lady-like. She is rich. Why would you oppose to escort such an agreeable lady?"

"Her voice pains my ears."

"Ah. Understandable."

"Also, she has a history of jealousy. Especially with me," said Jace with a grimace.

Johnathan clapped a hand on Jace's shoulder, "You could always escort the family dog, Narla."

"Or we could dress you as a woman, and I could escort you."

"I don't like you enough to do that particular favor."

"What is so wrong with attending alone, anyway?" Jace asked with mild interest.

"Father won't like it," his elder brother said shortly.

"Father can--"

"Father can what, Jace?" Valentine of Morgenstern strode into Johnathan's bedroom, looking stern.

"I meant to say, Father can--" Jace paused, thinking quickly, "help me find a suitable date?" Sweat formed at the back of his neck, and he was frightened that he couldn't talk his way out of being caught speaking so blatantly ill of his father. Granted, he hadn't finished his thought, but he was fairly certain it was obvious what was implied with the sentence.

Apparently, not obvious enough.

"Of course I can," Valentine agreed. "In fact, Miss Aline of the Penhallows has inquired as to the state of your health and I believe she mentioned she would be attending tonight's celebration alone."

"Great," said Jace with a tone that positively screamed 'sarcasm'. The effect was lost on his father, however, as he nodded once before leaving the room to inform Aline of the arrangement.

"Well, at least you are no longer going stag," Johnathan said before clapping his brother's shoulder once more and exiting after Valentine.

Jace rolled his eyes and followed suit, internally preparing himself for the possible loss of his hearing and/or mind.

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**Did it live up to Shakespeare? Probably not... Ok don't answer that.**

**I won't guilt/threaten you to review, but the button is down there... you know, if you get the feeling you want to push it... to tell me how great or terrible it was. :] Either/or is fine with me. I don't really get my feelings hurt too much.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N: Disclaimer: I'm not Cassandra Clare. Deal with it. I am.**

**Also, this is only a filler chapter and an inside look at Alec and Simon's surprising friendship. (Yes, I'm surprised as well. I write freely and the story just pours out onto the paper... As of right now, I only know where HALF the story is going, so really I'm reading right along with you :])  
**

Chapter Two: All the World's a Stage

^----X----^

Back at Garroway Castle, preparations for tonight's festivities were in full swing. The servants and cooks were rushing to and fro, attempting to quickly complete various tasks. There was extra cleaning to be done, decorations to be put up, dishes and entrées to be prepared, and the reservation list was filling quickly. The Duke of Garroway Castle strolled warily into the main room, glancing left and right to check the safety of his passage. Earlier, he had been snapped at for touching a recently polished floor lamp before the mistaken servant had realized to whom she was addressing.

Luke sighed. Although he was the Duke, and therefore the obvious host of the Annual Spreely Ball, he didn't much like the power he had over the rest of the Kingdom. True, it was better for all if he--filled with compassion-- ruled rather than a power-hungry dictator, but he missed the simplicity of the surrounding country. He'd often wake from beautiful dreams of the open air and star-dotted skies and wide-spread green forests full of life and wonder. He'd sigh in content whilst visiting his childhood home in the visions, but when it was time to wake, he'd shudder at the cold, unforgiving stone around him.

He'd once been the most plain of them all; a country boy, content in rolling in mud and hunting wild animals. That is, until he fell for the fairest woman in the lands. At the time, Jocelyn had been engaged to Valentine of Morgenstern: the ruler of the kingdom. Luke hadn't known, and had eagerly set forth to win the fair lady's heart. She had easily fallen for his charm and good-humor, and had broken off her current engagement to be with the one she truly desired. In a fit of rage, Valentine set off for his country home, Morgenstern Manor, and closed off all contact with his subjects. The commoners knew not what to do. Their leader had abandoned them; so they turned to the one person who had caused it all: Luke.

Luke sighed once more, knowing it was his fault in the beginning. That sole thought and the guilt that came with it was the only thing keeping him from fleeing the cold, closed castle for the warm and inviting country. That, and his love for his wife and child.

In Morgenstern Manor, Valentine was also contemplating the past, but instead of the ever-eating guilt, he was engulfed in a feeling of loss for his kingdom and his ex-wife. He had loved Jocelyn of Fairchild, it was true. However, he had found a more suitable companion in Celine; even though what they had together wasn't love, but comfort. She had been abandoned as well, by her husband Stephen of Herondale. When she had run into Valentine, only days after he gave up the throne, they'd instantly found a feeling of safety in the other.

A year later, Johnathan had been born, and Valentine once again felt love for something other than power. As he held the small baby in his arms, he re-gained a small shred of self-respect.

Not long after, Celine had come to him with the news of another child. When Jace was born, Valentine felt more like his old self than he had in years. He was finally able to see where he'd gone wrong, and he knew exactly how to fix his misfortunes.

Tonight, at the Alicante Annual Spreely Ball...

He was going to regain his kingdom.

Jocelyn of Garroway roamed the quiet building that was Garroway Castle. Every other person was currently downstairs preparing for the upcoming celebration, while she--the Lady of the Ball--was strolling through the empty passageways in search of some peace of mind. She was just about to exit through a far-off archway, when she heard two voices coming from Simon of the Lewis family's room.

"Did you finally request of her to accompany you?" Alec's voice drifted through the open doorway.

"Yes, I have. She accepted my offer," Simon replied.

"I must say I'm shocked. I would have believed my sister to already have been asked before now."

"Yes, well, perhaps she was awaiting someone special?"

"And you convinced her to drop the silly notion and attend with you?" Alec's voice replied in jest.

"Amusing. Have you thought maybe it was _I_ whom she was waiting for?"

"Unlikely." he snorted.

"It's possible!" Simon exclaimed with frustration. He had already been wondering the same as Alec, and he didn't like knowing his worries were _not _unreasonable. "Your sister aside, who are _you_ taking?"

"I-I... No one." Alec stammered.

Simon's eyebrows raised. His companion seemed to be... blushing.

"I have decided to attend alone," said Alec with dignity. His posture changed abruptly, and he seemed to challenge Simon to argue.

"Ah. Noble choice, I suppose," said Simon uncertainly; he didn't want to upset his friend further.

Jocelyn decided that was enough eavesdropping for today. She'd already heard Clary's and Isabelle's previous fuss earlier this morning. She had been afraid the boys had found out about Isabelle's predicament.

As she strolled on to find a quiet place for thinking, she couldn't help but remember walking these same halls with a much different man than to whom she was currenly wed. Valentine was a quiet man, and mostly kept to himself. This was why their relationship had come to an unexpected stop as soon as she met Luke of Garroway.

Luke had filled her with love, and Valentine had made her alone. He'd cut off all her ties with friends, and had desired to keep her all to himself. This selfish act of his drove her further into her new friend Luke's embrace, and she decided to leave him.

When she finally entered the quiet aclove at the back of the outside gardens, she wondered why it was that life was filled with such dramatics. Every corner of the kingdom was filled with problems and tragedies, each more tedious than the last, at least to the outside eye.

Yes, the world most certainly is a stage.

**I know it was just a boring filler, and there was absolutely NO action or romance or even humor involved... but these darn characters just wouldn't leave me alone! Luke, Valentine, and Jocelyn wanted their stories out... Well, first it was Luke that wanted a larger part, then Valentine wanted HIS side to be heard... Then when he pointed out Jocelyn's abandonment, well SHE just had to put her two cents in!**

**In fact, Johnathan really wants a big part in the upcoming ball... and SOMEONE (not mentioning names) wants a grand entrance...**

**I just can't live with these voices in my head! If I get hit with a softball because Jace is talking about how gorgeous Clary is AGAIN, I'm going to have to cut him up! By the way, softballs most certainly aren't SOFT. They're just big. And leave big bruises.**


End file.
